The Power Mac Two-Fer

Joe Wilcox | June 09, 2004, 11:29 AM

Today, Apple introduced new Power Mac models, returning its professional computer line to all dual processors. Available immediately: 1.8GHz and 2GHz models. A 2.5GHz Power Mac G5 is slated for July shipping.

Apple made its last big move to dual processors in summer 2000. The company offered twin chips across the Power Mac G4 line, even though, at the time, Mac OS 9 could make little use of the second processor. With the introduction of Power Mac G5 models last year, Apple offered only one dual processor model, which makes sense. Volumes on new chips tend to be lower in the early production, and Apple could count on early-adopter demand without giving away the second chip.

The two-processor design could make the Power Mac G5 more appealing to those buyers feint of wallet but needing high performance. Mac OS X does an excellent job distributing tasks across processors, minimizing the impact of processor-intensive tasks, such as video rendering, on performance.

Already, reporters are asking about clock speed. When launching the G5 last year, Apple CEO Steve Jobs predicted 3GHz Power Macs this year. Apple confirmed today that 3GHz Power Macs are not expected this year. IBM, which produces the PowerPC chips used in the Power Mac G5, is moving production from 130 to 90 nanometers. AMD and Intel are making similar moves. It's not uncommon for a slow ramp up or lower yields during this kind of manufacturing transition.

Apple's failure to reach 3GHz might make great headlines, but I don't see much of a problem. The gigahertz gap between Macs and Windows PCs is meaningless, more so as Intel and other chip makers put less emphasis on clockspeed and more on overall processor performance. Also, two 2.5GHz processors offer plenty of performance.

Other notable changes: Frontside bus increases--per processor, 900MHz, 1GHz or 1.25GHz, depending on the clockspeed; liquid cooling for the 2.5GHz model, which uses 90-nanometer chips (130 for the other two models); faster graphics cards; and DVD burners bumped up to 8X.

Interesting that Apple chose not to release a double-layer DVD burner, considering rival Dell offers the option. My earlier blog explains why Apple needn't rush.